Ten. Jen, Alex, and Jonathan
Girls can be pretty, and they can also be ugly. Jen knows.
"I heard she only hangs out with him for drugs." The laughs after those words are sinister, "I heard it's because he fucks her."
Carol Perkins is so very mean if you aren't dear to her. Carol Perkins is friends with Steve Harrington. She is a dear to Steve because they are friends.
"You think she fucks everyone in the trailer park?" Another round of giggles, "I wouldn't be surprised. Where else does she get her attention from?"
Jen hates the cheer team, because they all hate her, but she sticks it for the sportâshe loves cheer.
She knows that they know she can hear them, they're only a row of lockers away. Her teeth are stabbed into her puffy bottom lip, and the grip she has on her locker is a killer vice.
"You think she learned it all from Alex?" Wow.
They laugh more, and a tear slips past Jen's eye. Only one, so far.
"Do you think she fucks Eddie so she can get a discount on drugs?"
"Does she even buy drugs from him?"
"She probably gets them for free at this point."
At this point.
She knows she shouldn't, but she does. She slams her locker door so loud that she nearly catches a chunk of her hair with it. Her arm hurts after from the brute force. The girls locker room falls glass shattering silent. All that can be heard is one of the running showers. Her heart is beating in her ears and she tries not to heave a cry.
The girls mumble to one another, and they move towards the exit in a slight hurry. The door is heavy when it closes and when it does, Jen's shoulders cave. Her hands hide her face and she cries.
She doesn't hear the single shower turn off.
"I think she's just jealous of you."
This time, the voice doesn't scare Jen. She pulls her hands away, and wipes at her damp face. Her watery eyes meet Nancy's, she's wrapped in a towel. She holds it so close to her body that it looks apart of her. Her hairs wet in soft curls. Water drips down her collarbones. She's really pretty. Her collarbones are really pretty too.
This is the girl Steve gets to kiss and love.
"What?" Jen whispers, voice a little cracked. Nancy nods gently with a smile, her locker is three away from Jen's. "Carol is just jealous.. She likes the attention Eddie would give a girl, she just hasn't said anything. She would probably be shunned if she did. Her own boyfriend isn't too great either."
Jen's chest feels less tight. "How do you know?"
Nancy meets Jen's eyes, as she organizes her clothes again. "I see her staring at him all the time.. Plus, I'm sure if you'd ask Eddie, she's gotten a discount on weed before, if you know what I mean.."
Jen's lips part, shock laced in her features.
Nancy smiles gently, as she pulls into her clothes. Jen's eyes fall back on her locker, her nails find home in the stabbing of her palms. She frowns. "I..I don't have sex with him for drugs. I don't even do drugs."
Jen doesn't know why she says it. She doesn't owe anyone any explanation. But she feels the need to say it. To be clear.
The two girls meet eyes again. Nancy's in her skirt and her bra is a pretty pink lace. She nods gently. "I know." It's all she says.
Jen gently takes up her two bags as she clears her throat, "bye, Nancy." Her voice still cracks.
"Bye, Jen. Drive home safe."
When she exits the locker room she flinches once again, Steve Harrington is standing by the door. He looks a little shocked to see Jen. "Sorry.. I didn't mean to scare you. I was just waiting for.."
He can't say Nancy's name for some reason, his lips just fall close.
Jen smiles, small. "It's okay.. She's, uh, on her way out."
Steve nods slowly as Jen sends him another small nervous smile. She makes her way to leave, but stops short when he calls out her name. He knows her name? She looks over her shoulder at him, two sets of baby honey mellows meet. Steve smiles, a hand encasing the back of his neckâit almost seems like a nervous manner. "I'm having this party at my house tomorrow night.. Do you maybe want to come, if you're able?"
Everything in her pauses. She blinks, lips parted. "Are.. Are you sure?" Why is he asking her this? Is it because she got Reed drugs for that party? Does he feel bad for her? Pity invite? They don't talk. They aren't anything. He's made that clear. He's famous, she's not.
Carol Perkins is his friend.
Steve smiles gently, with a soft shrug. "I know Nancy's fond of you.. and I've seen you around the trailer park. It would be cool to get to know you." She notices the way he whispers trailer park even with no one else around.
Jen doesn't mention the fact that they did know each other, they knew each other because of Lowen. Steve doesn't remember, why would he. He's famous. She's not.
"Thank you. I'll have to see if I can.." She knows she won't go. Alex would hate it. Eddie would hate. She would hate it.
She needs to stop staring at Steve. "Bye, bye, Steve."
"Bye, Jen.." He seems to know she won't show.
Alex never went to school that day.
Jen gets home and her car is still there.. but so is another. It's one she doesn't recognize and it's definitely not anyone from the trailer park. She would've known.
The girl sighs as she shuts her driver door, keys swinging back and forth on her finger.
She can hear voices when she gets closer to the front door, her sister's voice and a male voice? The voice sounds panicked and Alex keeps saying I need you to leave. Sorry. I'm sorry. She's never had much remorse for anything it seems.
Jen's left shoulder burns as she pries (shoves) the door open.
The voices stop when Jen walks in. Alex is gaping and Jen's locking eyes with Jonathan Byers. Jonathan Byers? "Uh, hi." Jen says gently and all kind, because she's Jen.
Alex rolls her eyes and shoulders, and before she can even open her mouthâJonathan beats her to it. "Hi, Jen. I'm really sorry to bother.. I was just wondering if you've seen my brother? Will? Will Byers.. He didn't come home last night and I know the chances of him coming here are slim to none but he knows your sister and I just.. Have you've maybe seen him?"
Jen's got a lot of questions, as per usual.
She frowns gently, "no, I'm sorry.. Eddie, Eddie Munsonâhe's a few trailers down. Three to be specific. He plays some board game? One that all the kids play now, maybe he knows something? I don't know.. I'm sorry, Jonathan."
The boy smiles gently, "no, thank you. I seriously appreciate it. Thank you so much." He turns back towards Alex, "I, uh, call you if anything changes.."
Alex sighs but she nods. "Yeah, for sure. I'll do the same. Give your mom a hug for me."
Jen moves out of his way. He sends a small quick smile and he's gone.
The door slams shut and it's silent for a long moment.
Jen and Alex open their mouths at the same time, eyes meeting.
"How do you know Jonathan Byersâ"
"Look, before you flip your shitâ"
Alex cracks a smile at their timing, Jen doesn't, Alex's smile falls again. "Uh, okay, well.. I know you think a lot of the times that I'm out for a few days, that I'm slowly killing myselfâbut I'm not. I, um, I spend a lot of time at the Byers home. With Joyce and the boys.."
What the fuck. Jen's lips part, "what do you mean? The boys? Are you sleeping with Jonathan Byersâ"
"God! Jen, no! I'm just, I'm really close with Joyce, okay? And she's good to me.. Like a mother should be."
Like a mother should be.
Jen's face falls and Alex realizes what she's saidâwhat she's done. "Jen, I don't mean like.. Fuck, okay! I did.. I did mean it. Joyce is a good woman! You'd like her!"
"So.. you, like, have a second family or whatever?"
Alex's eyes widened a little, not at her sister's words, but her tone. She doesn't sound angry like Alex would've guessed.. she sounds hurt? "Jen.."
"You could've just said something? You.. You always do this. You keep secrets. You be a different person. And then.. And then you get mad at me when I don't tell you every single thing happening in my life! It isn't fair! I get it, okay! A new family or comfort or whatever.. But, god! You could've said somethingâI would've slept better at night knowing you won't overdose at some random party because you're baking cookies with Joyce Byers!"
Alex Leadison is good with a single kid and it's Will Byers, not her own sister, and she's scared shitless about Will maybe missing. She doesn't know if she loves her sister? And she doesn't know if she'd be any good at it if she tried? They've been doomed from the start. Jennifer made sure of that.
Jen spends the next two hours on the couch outside the front of their trailer.. and she might not do drugs but she kisses cigarettes and she's gone through three.
She reaches for a fourth when Steve Harrington's BMW pulls up all shiny and sweet and waxed up like a surfboard.
He's quick to rush out of his car, it sits before Lowen's trailer. He heads over to Mandy's trailer quicker then Jen can blink.
Violet nearly yells as best as a baby can as Mandy passes her off to Steve.
Jen's heart strings pull.
She forces herself to look away, and she shoves the cigarette back in its box. She needs to quit.
The baby babbles come closer. Steve moves back towards Lowen's trailer, he's mumbling to her. "My parents are gone.. so, I'm inviting Miss Nancy over. I hope she thinks I'm all cool without you. Do you think I'm cool, V?" Jen can't help but look up, she's never heard Steve Harrington talk so soft.
His face is as gentle as they come. An arm holding up the girl, the other combs back her hair softly. Violet's chubby fingers poke at his cheeksâSteve smiles. "Yeah, Miss Nancy. You like her right? I think I do too.. She's real soft and sweet, huh?"
Jen can't help but smile, it's all teethâwhich she doesn't realize nor does Steve.
"I do got a problem though, Miss Violet. I feel bad making Mandy watch you again.. Don't tell anyone but I'm kind of scared to ask, y'know?" He talks like she'll answer him back, and maybe to him, she does.
The boy smiles gently, and he finally realizes the lingering eyes.
Jen doesn't look away when he catches her. Steve blows out a breath, waving gently at the girl. Jen waves back, and she takes in a sharp breathâit feels like a knife to her lung. "Hey, Steve?" She calls out, a little louder than she normally would with the small distance.
His brows raise and Violet's head whips around to look at Jen. She looks a little shocked to see another new face. "Yeah?" Steve calls out, walking across the dirt path to her trailer.
(Jen kind of hopes Eddie is home and watching. She hopes Alex is watching. She hopes Alex can hear.)
"I can, uh, watch Violet tomorrow night if you'd like? I don't mind."
I don't want to go to your party and watch you kiss a pretty girl that isn't me.
Steve's eyes light up but then fade. "Oh, but what about.." His voice gets small, he sees her eyes and he knows she doesn't want to go. He doesn't know why it kind of stings? "I mean, can you? Is that okay?" They don't really know each other, he probably shouldn't leave his kid.. but as stupid as it sounds, Jen feels like she wouldn't hurt a fly.
He feels trust. A trust he hasn't had before.
"Yeah, of course. I don't mind, really.. I mean, you're still a teenager. Teenagers are supposed to have fun in high school, right?"
No one's told Steve that since he got Violet. He just kept hearing grow up. He softens at her words, his cheeks get a little pink. He doesn't realize, but she does and it makes her smile.
Steve suddenly looks down at Violet, who's hiding in his neck all nervous it seems? Violet isn't a nervous baby, Steve knows that much.
(Does Violet think Jen's different too? Good different? like Steve thinks.)
"V, this is Miss Jen. We go to school together. She's really nice. You guys are gonna hang out tomorrow, yeah?"
Violet looks up, soft brown baby eyes landing on Jen. She smiles and it's all baby spit and closed lips, Jen can't help but giggle. She waves her fingers softly. "Hi, Miss Violet. Nice to meet you."
Steve is beaming? Steve is beaming.
And not at his child, but at Jen. "I'll see you tomorrow then." Jen's eyes switch from his baby to him. "Yeah, see you then."
"Thank you again."
"Yeah, absolutely, Steve."
Apparently Jen likes to go against the odds recently, because when Steve disappears into Lowen's trailer with Violet (who was still gaping at Jen) Eddie is staring at her. He's standing right outside his door, door still open and cigarette hanging from his lips. When Jen meets his eyes she can't help and let out a breath, a heavy breath.
She looks away from Eddie, eyes landing back on the cigarettesâshe can't help but giggle to herself.
She's going against all her odds, and she fucking loves it.
She grabs the fucking cigarette again.